South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-09-23

- y s<&~-
"wiIl you lend me your bay, Jack
son7 can ride over there"
with pleasure, doctor. bat you don't
mean
"Yes I do" said Stanley, Harvesting
up the powerful animal.
'sBut, my God, doctor. there isn't o
worse stretch from here to Denver. A
mountain road, along precipices and
chasus. Why, you are mad to think of
it, even If there weren't blizzard rag
ing. Don't do it, DR.. Stanley"
'sNonsense, jackson, this storm will
soon lift. Wish me a safe passage.
Good night"
Stanley pursued his way for some time
with considerable rapidity until he gain
ed the opening between the peaks, when
he was obliged to proceed with extreme
caution. The darkness was oppressive;
the intensely fierce cold chilled his very
heart. the biting wind blew in terrible
gusts, which broke the snow into atoms
SO fine that breathing was rendered ex-
ceedingly difficult. Every particle
struck his face like fine splinter At
length he halted, trembling anxiously
as he tried to shield the match while he
consulted his watch. But it was impos-
sible to fan the feeble light and he re-
sumed his way muttcring:-
81 have lost my way, should be at
Truefitt's now"
He knew that on each side were yawn-
ing chasms and clcfts, but how near he
came to death, God alone knew. The
whirling snow filled eyes and ears and
nose, and his cut and bleeding skin
caused him understandable agony. The
wind had redoubled its violence. He
leaned forward and sought to shield
himself from its fury by clasping his
arms around the horses neck. At that
instant, the animal halted, trembling
from head to feet.
"My God, we are lost" burst from
Stanley. He was benumbed with cold,
his breath came in .gasps, and he felt
that unless he could urge his horse for
ward, he must succumb. He was just
making the attempt, when it flashed
upon him that the instinct of the animal
was warning it against danger unknown
to the man.
He backed the horse cautiously, and
then dismounting began to walk back
ward and forward by the animals side,
viii e the fury of the storm increased,
and his steps became weaker and more
uncertain, and the belief Il at death was
near grew stronger in Stanley's soul
He was sinking into the lethargy of
despair when, like a dream of heaven
came the thought of Alice and her
child; Alice whom he had coaxed into
this wild land only to let her drink of
the cup of happiness ihas she might
know the bitterness of its dregs Doubt
less she was praying for him now, poor
girl. Then he pictured her watching
for his coming, day after day, while the
shadows fell heavily and more heavily
upon her dear face, and at last, some
traveller would stumble upon him-and
then
He could GO no farther with his i'm
aginings. His heart seemed bursting
and with great effort he cried "Oh,
save me, save me! Not for my sake, o
merciful Father, but theirs!'
As in answer to his prayer, his spirits
rose in brightest civilizations; the blood
seemed to course through his veins like
liquid fire. He felt an insane impulse to
leap, but his feet were heavy as lead.
He shouted, laughed and sang. His
mind contemplated the most enchanting
visions, and before his eyes floated the
most beautiful colors. He felt capable
of defying anything and everything
And yet through this horrible hallucina-
tion, a dual self seemed to direct his
movements, and preserve him. At
length, he made one desperate effort,
and gained the saddle, then winding his
arms again around the horses neck,
pOi W uilu 10 uOlu OUT
till dawn.
He resumed his march, but try as he
would his steps dragged, faltered,
halted, and he tumbcd into the snow.
With a whinny the shivcring horse fell
alongside him.
With The coming of the gray day, the
wind died into sullen murmur, and the
snow fell lightly, almost caressingly on
the PROSTATE figure.
"Stiddy thar, Zekep' cried voice,
as two men came from nm abrupt open
ing, and toiled along through the drifts.
"Gracious, we was wise to make camp
in that ere cross cut, wasn't we2'
"'You said that afore," growled the
other, giving vicious cut to the mule
he was driving and whisting to the dog.
"IIyar, hyarl'
"Hillo, it's man and horse; well,
il it amt Jackson's Clinker and Doc
Stanley Whar's the haskl You look
after the ho3s."
IL was high noon when the cavalcade
halted before Lorimer hotel, and Stan
Icy, rather pale and shaken, was helped
into DIR Denison's office A few words